Biosphere: Recreating the World

Biosphere was meant to figuratively take control of the Universe from God. Apparently God had other plans.

Our 15-seat barge-on-wheels Chevy van cruised down the Arizona highway, Saguaro cacti flying by outside. Inside were three generations of our family, including eight children nine years and under, assembled from Israel and the US for a family vacation.

Our destination was Biosphere 2, a $150 million experiment to see if eight people -- four men and four women -- could live for two years in a man-made, self-sustained bubble. In many ways Biosphere was similar to Noah's ark, which was also a self-contained bubble for four men and four women, plus the animal kingdom and its required foodstuffs.

The effort put into Biosphere was impressive. Years of planning and testing were spent trying to get the erector-set-like frame to be airtight, sealing in people, animals, computers, and agriculture, all working in harmony. The structure, set on over three acres, has 6,600 glass panes held to the space-frame by 50 miles of glazing. It sits on a 500-ton stainless steel liner with 12 miles of welding. Inside are rainforest, marsh, ocean, savanna, desert, and agricultural regions -- all computer-controlled for temperature and humidity.

God Laughs

While an impressive attempt, Biosphere fell far short of a self-sustained environment. The crew brought months of food with them to begin the experiment; various necessities were brought in during the "self-contained" experiment as needed, including horticultural oil to stop mites from destroying all their crops; and finally the electricity to power the entire system (hair dryers and all) was bought from the local coal-burning utility.

Biosphere quickly became a desperate exercise in fighting off starvation.

Throughout the experiment, oxygen levels steadily dropped, until the members barely were able to maintain consciousness. The rules of self-sufficiency were changed yet again as oxygen was pumped in to prevent brain damage. In the meantime, all the pollinators died, so that none of the plants could reproduce. Finally, all the birds and animals brought in for food also died.

For the humans, Biosphere quickly became a desperate exercise in fighting off starvation. The eight members, split into two factions of four -- which to this day do not talk to each other -- were reduced to hording and counting peanuts. Biosphere ended as an almost comical failure.

An introductory movie on the site explained that Biosphere was meant to figuratively take control of the Universe from God. Apparently God had other plans. As an old Yiddish expression goes, "Man plans and God laughs."

By the end of the experiment, scientists concluded, "No one yet knows how to engineer systems that provide humans with the life-supporting services that natural ecosystems (read God) produce for free" (J. Cohen and D. Tilman, "Biosphere 2 and Biodiversity: The Lessons So Far," Science, November 15, 1996).

The Creator

As we pulled out of Biosphere's parking lot, the conversation turned to the meaning of it all. The Biosphere experiment should fill one with awe at the balance that is God's Universe.

After all, if the cream of highly developed scientific minds with hundreds of man-years of planning and hundreds of millions of dollars of funding were unable to create an ark for two years, how much more does Biosphere 1 (Earth) require a super-intelligent and loving creator to come into -- and remain -- in existence.

Just as Noah's Ark transported mankind to a better appreciation of each other and God, so too can Biosphere's failure transport us to a profound appreciation of God's world, and how we must relate to each other within it. In demonstrating the incredible intricacy and balance of the Universe, ironically, the largely irreligious scientific community is indicating the existence of a creator and constant re-creation of our world.

Or as one of our small children intuited after our Biosphere tour, "That was a good way to prove HaShem (God), huh?"

Self-sufficiency

Biosphere parallels our secret goal -- to be independent.

But for many of us, Biosphere parallels our secret goal -- to be independent. On a certain level we all want to be self-sufficient -- move away from our family and community, go to college, get a job, make money. Many people are even convinced that they do not need a spouse or God. They are self-sufficient; they are adults.

But is it bad to need others? Would anyone want a spouse that had no need for him or her? We all want our children to be self-sufficient, but then we wonder why they don't call!

The Ethics of the Fathers advises us: "Do not separate yourself from the community." Whenever you separate yourself from the community, you make yourself and the community weaker. And the truth is, as Biosphere only points out, no man is an island; you cannot fully separate yourself. We all need each other. "It is not good for man to be alone."

We just completed celebrating Rosh Hashana, the birthday of mankind. On the Sixth Day of Creation, the first of Tishrei, Adam and Eve were created. Every year the cycle repeats itself and God recreates mankind anew. Every year we must stand and re-earn our right to exist.

Rather than feigning independence, let this be the year that we, the Jewish people, stand together, supporting each other and being that much stronger.

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About the Author

Daniel Carasso manages a hedge fund and learns Torah in Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel, where he lives with his wife and five children. David Carasso develops artificial intelligence software in Northern California, where he lives with his wife and three children.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 10

(10)
Anonymous,
May 11, 2003 12:00 AM

bravo....

bravo to your insights on in sites... Ha Shem definitely has a business plan... with a very good accounting system... so let us all shape up to it..

(9)
al puglisi,
February 10, 2003 12:00 AM

eye of the beholder

The biosphere failed yes. It failed miserably. But looking around I see also where planet earth is failing.Rivers dry up,crops do not grow,disease haunts the planet. It is very easy to talk about God's balance in the world sitting here in the good old USA, but I wonder if others in less fortunate parts of the world would agree that the world is in balance, or that God's effort at planet earth was "comical".

(8)
Jim Silver,
October 2, 2002 12:00 AM

Raise the Titanic (On the good ship, Chutzpahdik...)

"Biosphere...taking control of the universe from G-d."

Gevalt - why didn't they just call it the ship that even G-d can't sink?

Oh, wait. That was the good ship Chutzpahdik...

When will we ever learn?

(7)
Dorit Ernst,
September 25, 2002 12:00 AM

Reply to Marty (9/18/2002)

Yes, we have reached many goals - but for what price!
My impression is that G'D let us see what way we chose at first, reminds us several times as if H' would say: Do you really want to go that way? Afterwards we only get the "fruits" of what we have done - why is it that the really evil things like terror or diseases are increasing instead of decreasing while we (mankind) are trying to be on top of them - instead of asking the Creator to get on top of them and on top of us - for we are part of this evil world, aren't we?
Wish you all the best for your life, however.

(6)
Anonymous,
September 18, 2002 12:00 AM

Though Provoking

I appreciate this article, as a technologically interested as well as religiously driven individual. What awe we must have for our Creator! I am also curious how one comes to write articles for this publication. Any information would be splendid.

(5)
Yvonne Knickerbocker,
September 18, 2002 12:00 AM

Very well said

What an excellent example of mankind's arrogance, and a wonderful argument for "Intelligent Design."

(4)
marty,
September 18, 2002 12:00 AM

Biosphere

Do not worry we will succeed with the biosphere. Most times experiments fail in the beginning. Look at all the early attempts at the V-2 rockets(most blew up on the ground)Yet now we are reaching for the stars

(3)
Tom,
September 18, 2002 12:00 AM

As a science teacher I appreciate your insights.

I will be teaching on the ecosystems soon and will mention you observations.
Thanks

(2)
Anonymous,
September 17, 2002 12:00 AM

Example of Divine Providence

Biosphere sounds like a good counterexample to the idea that G-d created the world and left it alone. Instead, we can learn from this that an ecosystem needs a Supervisor to take care of it every day.

(1)
Rivka Carasso,
September 17, 2002 12:00 AM

Perceptive insights into the human tendency to believe that we can separate from HaShem

Outstanding article, terrific example of the futility of separating ourselves from HaShem and its dire consequences. The writers present the issue with great clarity, insightful thinking, and lessons for everyone of all ages.

I have had a very difficult life, beset by illness, unemployment, and disappointment from those who had pledged to care for me. I am having trouble seeing the benevolent God in all this. What do you say, rabbi?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

I am very sorry to hear about the difficult times that you have had to endure. The trials that you have gone through no doubt have obviously made your relationship to God a difficult one. I can understand why.

As a rabbi, I have witnessed the most horrendous situations imaginable. I have experienced a 20-year-old who lost both of her parents in a car crash. Can you imagine a girl so close to her parents and in one day they're gone? I've lived through a husband coming home to find that his wife has collapsed, and in two days she's dead. There was nothing wrong with her before. And on and on and on.

When someone is in the midst of suffering, that's not the time to offer answers. It's a time to listen and empathize and be with the person as best you can. If there's anyone going through a painful time and is looking for a sense of relief, I am skeptical whether these intellectual answers will offer any kind of relief.

Dealing with pain and suffering is never easy, particularly since we often feel so helpless and out of control. But one thing we do have control over and that is our attitude. Try to stick to this 3-part formula:

1) Look for the positive side to things.

2) Try not to judge God, Who knows more than we do.

3) Ask God for the clarity to understand how this is for the best.

Our perceptions of good and evil are directly related to our understanding of the world. An African tribesman who never saw a hypodermic syringe in his life could think upon seeing a doctor inoculate a child that the doctor was actually trying to hurt the child! Our perceptions change with information.

Therefore the Jewish approach to "suffering" is that everything happens for the good, but since we are finite and cannot see the whole picture, we perceive some things as bad.

God has more information than we do; thus we cannot judge Him and say He is doing something bad. We trust God and say, "I haven't yet figured out why, but God knows this is for the best."

The Talmud tells the story of Rebbe Akiva who was traveling on the road late one night. His only source of light, a candle, blew out; his mode of transportation, a donkey, ran away; and his only source of food, a chicken, died. The next morning Rebbe Akiva realized that armed bandits had plundered everything in the area. Had they seen his candle, or heard his chicken or donkey, they would have victimized him as well.

We can accept pain and suffering in the world by trying to see what positive side it may have. For example, a woman whose child was killed by a drunk driver went out and started MADD - Mothers Against Drunk Driving. This organization was responsible for revolutionizing the laws against drunk driving in America, and as a result has surely saved thousands of lives. It could be said that the purpose of this child was to elevate his mother to the towering heights of greatness that she indeed achieved as a result of the tragedy.

Of course it is not always easy to find the positive side. But even the attempt helps tremendously. It is interesting that if we look back on our own lives, the times we have grown the most are not when things have gone easy, but when they've been difficult. So many times what appears as "bad" or "negative" ends up being a blessing. A person could lose their job, for example, only to realize later that was the opportunity they needed to break into a growing, new field!

In the meanwhile, we have invested so much time and energy into worrying or regretting - all for nothing and all to our detriment. It is wise to remember that worry is defined as "interest paid in advance on a debt which often times never comes due." So when we are having problems, we can ask ourselves, "What have I learned or gained?"

Also, there are two excellent books I can recommend: "Why me, God?" by Lisa Aiken (published by Aaronson), and "Confronting the Loss of a Baby," by Yamin Levy (Ktav).

In 1973, a cease-fire resolution was passed by the U.N. Security Council to halt the Yom Kippur War. Shuttle diplomacy by Henry Kissinger compelled Israel and Egypt to accept the cease-fire. Fighting, however, would continue for another four days. In the war, Israel suffered the loss of 2,600 soldiers and 800 tanks. Four years later, Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat would visit Jerusalem and announce his readiness to forge a permanent peace deal.

I told a group of people to repeat, "I am grateful to my Creator" five minutes each day for a month. Some of the results were:

* "At first I found it difficult to keep this up. This gave me a jolt. The Creator is giving me life each moment of each day and He gives me the air I breathe. Why is it so hard for me to express my gratitude? This self-rebuke gave me a strong feeling of motivation. I was committed to use the power of repeating messages to myself to build up this gratitude.

* "I realized that I would only be able to repeat this for five minutes at a time if I would sing it with a tune. So I would sing this five minutes each day. It became my favorite song.

* "The first day when I heard this, I found myself having to wait for something to start. I began to feel frustrated. Then I said to myself, ‘This is a perfect time to repeat, "I am grateful to my Creator" for five minutes.' It totally transformed the waiting into an uplifting experience. Throughout the month, I chose potentially frustrating moments to practice this. After a while, the stirrings of feelings of frustration became a trigger to begin my exercise."

* "Someone saw me smiling while I was waiting in line at my local supermarket. He asked me if anything special is going on in my life. "There are a lot of special things that I'm beginning to become more aware of," I replied.

* "By repeating, ‘I am grateful to my Creator,' I began to realize that everyone who is kind to me in any way was sent to me by my Creator. I increased my gratitude towards those people and I increased my gratitude to the Creator of it all."

May He Who knows what is hidden accept our call for help and listen to our cry (Siddur).

The Talmud states that a person may be coerced to perform a mitzvah even if it is required that the mitzvah be done of one's own volition (Rosh Hashanah 6a).

But are not coercion and volition mutually exclusive? Not necessarily, explains Rambam. Inasmuch as the soul of the Jew intrinsically wishes to do the Divine will, and it is only the physical self - which is subject to temptation - that may be resistive, the coercion inflicted upon the person overcomes that external resistance. Thus, when one performs the mitzvah, it is with the full volition of the inner self, the true self, for at his core, every Jew wishes to comply with the mandates of the Torah.

There is a hidden part of us, to which we may have limited access, yet we know it is there. When we pray for our needs, said Rabbi Uri of Strelisk, we generally ask only for that which we feel ourselves to be lacking. However, we must also recognize that our soul has spiritual needs, and that we may not be aware of its cravings.

We therefore pray, said Rabbi Uri, that God should listen not only to the requests that we verbalize, but also to our hidden needs that are very important to us - but which He knows much better than we.

Today I shall...

try to realize that there is a part of me of which I am only vaguely aware. I must try to get to know that part of myself, because it is my very essence.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...